JP3039946B2 - Automatic ticketing terminal - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an automatic ticket issuing terminal device for a designated seat ticket in a seat reservation system for a vehicle such as a train or an aircraft.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in an automatic ticket issuing terminal device, available train information is displayed on a screen, and when a user makes a reservation for a ticket, the train information that the user can ride from among the trains displayed on the screen is displayed. One of the trains indicated as vacant seats is selected and designated, and a seat reservation ticket is issued for that train, which is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-54-70900.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The user usually has the following intentions when wishing to select a seat.

(1) I want to get on the train around 10 am. Any train nearby.

(2) I go to XX, but I want to arrive around 2:00 in the daytime. You can start at any time.

(3) I would like to ride around 9 am, but preferably at 9:05
I want to split.

(4) I want to get on the train immediately, but I want to reserve the earliest train that I can sit on.

Many people don't even think about which train to use. Conventionally, however, the terminal device only displays the departure train mechanically, and when boarding that train, it is unclear whether or not it is possible to arrive as desired, and there is a sense of anxiety, I can't say that.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic ticket issuing terminal device that enables a reservation according to a user's intention.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention has storage means for storing train information including at least the time of departure or stop of a running train, and when performing a train reservation operation, allows a desired time to be input. Then, a train whose departure or arrival time is close to the desired time is selected from the storage means, a vacant seat inquiry of this train is performed, and a reserved seat ticket is issued.

[Action]

The automatic ticket issuing terminal device of the present invention can select a train close to the desired time inputted from the storage unit by inputting a vague boarding or arrival time of the user and issue a designated ticket, so that the user's intention can be selected. Enables you to make an appointment.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an automatic ticket issuing terminal device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows the operation section of a user of this device in detail, and FIG. 3 shows the automatic ticket issuing terminal device. This is a diagram showing the configuration of FIG.

The automatic ticket issuing terminal device 1 has a display 2 for displaying the guidance of the user, a touch panel 3 on which an input area is overlapped, and a ticket issuing machine for printing and issuing tickets (designated tickets, tickets, etc.). 4, a bill counter 5, a coin counter 6, and a card mechanism 7 capable of handling a credit card for settingtle the purchase price of a ticket;
Further, the control unit 8 includes a microprocessor and a program for controlling them, and a control unit 8 including a storage unit 10 for storing train information, and is connected to a reservation center 9 via a communication line. The reservation center 9 collectively manages train operation information and seats.

The user (operator) stands in front of the automatic ticket issuing terminal device 1 and sequentially uses the touch panel 3 according to the guidance displayed on the display 2 to input a desired train designation. Based on the contents, the reservation center 9 is inquired of vacant seats, and if there is a vacant seat, bills and coins are inserted into the bill counter 5 and the coin counter 6.
A ticket is issued from the ticket issuing machine 4. In the case of card settlement, a credit card is inserted into the card mechanism 7 in place of cash, and a debit is made.

The storage unit 10 stores the train information shown in FIG. In this storage, as shown in this example, the departure time, train number, destination, and the station where the train stops, and the stop time are stored in association with each other.

In this example, it is stored that Yamabiko No. 13 bound for Morioka departing at 9:45 arrives at Omiya at 10:05, passes through Oyama, and arrives at Sendai at 11:34. In addition, the vacant seat presence indication (到 着 in this example) is added to the arrival time of each station. This vacant seat display is all marked with “時 に” at the start of the morning operation.

A process of issuing a designated seat ticket in response to a user's vague request for input in the thus-configured automatic ticket issuing terminal device will be described.

In FIG. 4, a to e correspond to the guidance display screens shown in FIGS. 5 (a) to 5 (e). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a candidate train selection process.

When the user stands in front of the ticket issuing terminal device, the guidance of FIG. 5A is displayed on the display 2 in step a. Here, the user selects and inputs the station name he / she wants to go from the display using the touch panel 3 (step 31). In this example, it is the Tohoku Shinkansen, but first,
You may make it display and select sequentially from the destination area of a train. In this case, the destination is displayed for each direction. If the destination is determined here, the selection of the train stopping at the station and the fare are determined. Next, at step b, FIG.
Is displayed and a request is entered here (step 32). Here, you can select from the three patterns of desired departure time, desired arrival time, and earliest train. input. At this time, you may directly input the departure time of the train you want to get on. If this time is input while referring to the display of the current time, there is no need to input a train that has already started. Similarly, when inputting the desired arrival time, touch the desired arrival time part and then input the time. For any of the earliest trains, touch the earliest train. Here, the selection of these three patterns is exclusive, and only one of them is valid. It is determined whether or not the desired time is after the current time (step 33). If so, the process proceeds to step 34 to select a candidate train. FIG. 7 shows the process.

First, when a departure desired time (for example, departure at 10:00) is input (step 61), the train information shown in FIG. ) To select the train (Yamabiko 39, Yamabiko 105 ...) (step 62). The number of trains selected here is limited by the number that can be displayed on the screen.
Select a train that lasts about hours. Here, among the candidate trains, the trains that have already been found to be fully occupied are indicated at the stop time by the method described later, so if this train is excluded from the target candidate trains, useless inquiry You don't have to.

Next, if there is the earliest train input (step
63), departure trains after the current time are selected in the same manner (step 64).

If the desired arrival time is entered (step 65), the train stops at the destination station and stops after the desired time,
In addition, a train that departs after the current time is selected from among the trains that do not have a full seat display (step 66).

The trains thus selected are displayed as candidate trains in step c as shown in FIG. 4 (c). Here, the user looks at it and touches confirmation if it is OK, or cancels if it is not as desired (step 35). If all seats are full, candidate trains cannot be selected, so it is displayed that the seats are full at the desired time. When the user presses confirm, the vacancy inquiry of the earliest train of the candidate trains is performed (step 36). Here, the reservation answer is determined (step 37), and if there is a vacant seat, the display of FIG. 5 (d) is performed in step d. Here, together with the reservation answer, the fee is also requested, and the fee is also displayed.

Next, in response to the user's charge input (step 38), the process proceeds to step 39, where the number of bills and coins is counted, and it is determined whether or not cash greater than the charge has been deposited (step 40). If so, the process proceeds to step 41, where the ticket is printed, the change is counted, the ticket and the change are released (step 42), and the series of ticketing processing is terminated.

If there is no vacancy response to the vacant seat inquiry, the process proceeds from step 37 to step 43, where it is determined whether or not there is a next candidate train. Here, as a result of the inquiry, candidates that have no vacancies are deleted. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a full display (x in the example) is stored in the storage unit 10 in the field of the destination station of the train (step 45). Then, an inquiry about the next candidate train is made (step 46). The same procedure is repeated depending on the result.

If all the trains inquired at step 43 are full, the display of FIG. 5 (e) is performed at step e. Here, the user still selects whether to reserve a further train, leave the seat unreserved, or cancel. If you press continue here,
The display returns to the original display of FIG. 5B, and the input is performed again. If the seat is an unreserved seat, the unreserved seat fee is displayed, and the process proceeds to step 38 in FIG. If you cancel, you will return first and wait for the next person.

Next, as a process when there is a full response, as shown in the right of FIG. 6, a full sign (in this example, change ○ to ×) is added to the arrival time portion of the inquiry train at the destination station. If added, it can be referred to when selecting a candidate train in step 34, and can be excluded from the selection of candidate trains. The reason why a symbol is added for each destination station is that the state of occupancy is different for each section.

Further, as a modification of e in FIG. 4, if all the candidate trains are full, a train of the next time may be automatically selected, an inquiry may be started again, and the process may be continued until an empty seat is found.

In addition, as a modification of FIGS. 4C and 5C, a desired one train is selected from the displayed candidate trains.
A method of inquiring about the train is also conceivable.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in the sale of a seat reservation ticket by the automatic ticketing terminal device, even if the user does not know the operation of the train, by vague input,
You can get a designated ticket for the desired train. Also,
Even when business travelers board in a hurry, they will be able to get the earliest train ticket.

Furthermore, by adding the information of the full train to the stored trains, it is possible to remove the full train from the selected candidate trains, and it is highly likely that a seat can be taken from the displayed train. Therefore, the convenience of the user is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the automatic ticket issuing terminal device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation section of the automatic ticket issuing terminal device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an automatic ticket issuing terminal device of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a ticketing process, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a guidance display screen, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of storing train information, and FIG. FIG. 1 ... automatic ticketing terminal device 2 ... display 3 ...
Touch panel, 4 ... Ticket issuing machine, 5 ... Bill counter, 6 ...
... Coin counting machine, 7 ... Card mechanism, 8 ... Control unit, 9
… Reservation center, 10… Storage unit.

Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Naoshi Sawamoto 1-6-5 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo East Japan Railway Company (72) Inventor Kunio Ushijima 1st Ikegami, Haruoka-cho, Owariasahi-shi, Aichi Prefecture Asahi Plant, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Akio Otani 1st Ikegami, Haruoka-cho, Owariasahi-shi, Aichi Prefecture Inside Asahi Plant, Hitachi, Ltd. Inventor Shun Mizutani 1-7-12 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuo Hasunuma 1-7-112 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tomoaki Kaneko 1-7-12 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-63-168769 (JP, A) JP-A-58-154083 (JP, A) JP-A-57-146390 (JP, A) JP-A-1-18568 (JP, A) JP-A-2-244263 (J , A) JP Akira 54-70900 (JP, A) (58 ) investigated the field (Int.Cl. ^7, DB name) G07B 1/00 G07B 5/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic ticket issuing terminal device connected to a reservation center, communicating with the reservation center based on an operation of an operator, and issuing a reserved seat ticket, wherein an operating train arrives at least at each stop station. A storage unit for storing train information including a time; when performing a train reservation operation, a destination and a desired arrival time are input; and a train close to the desired time is stored in the storage unit based on the input desired time. , An empty seat inquiry of the train is performed, and a ticket is issued for the designated seat. 2. The automatic ticketing terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacant seat inquiry is performed in response to the reply that the train is full in the vacant seat inquiry. 3. An automatic ticket issuing terminal device connected to a reservation center, communicates with the reservation center based on an operation of an operator, and issues a designated seat ticket. Output means for outputting the designated seat ticket, storage means for storing train information including at least the time of the running train and a stop station, and the storage means for inputting by an operator by the input means. Guidance display means for displaying train information, wherein the control means selects a plurality of trains near the desired time as candidate trains from the input means and displays them on the guidance display means, and from among the displays, the input means An automatic ticket issuing terminal device for inquiring the reservation center of the train selected by the means to the reservation center and issuing a reserved seat ticket. 4. The train control system according to claim 1, wherein said control means responds to the full response from said reservation center and stores said train in said storage means in association with said stop station, and excludes said train from subsequent train selection. 3. The automatic ticket issuing terminal device according to 3.